Maternity garment



June 7, 1949. 3, z, o -ro 2,472,154

MATERNITY GARMENT Filed Dec. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Gm ce Z 1 1' 017250 AfTEJRNEY June 7, 1949. s. z. FlORlTO 2,472,154

MATERNITY GARMENT Filed Dec. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HQVEIFITOR Grace Z. 1 1057250 Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to maternity garments. It is particularly directed to maternity dresses or skirts.

An object of this invention is to provide a garment of the character described provided at the region of the abdomen with a plurality of concentric annular portions which may be progressively removed as the pregnancy progresses to produce an opening of progressively increasing size to permit the wearer's abdomen to project through the progressively enlarged openings formed by removing portions of the' garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a maternity dress or skirt provided at the region of the abdomen with a series of concentric circular, diamond, square, rectangular or the like shaped lines of hem stitching or stitching of other suitable type, which will permit the cutting away of first the center portion, and then annular portions of progressive size to provide an opening of progressively increasing size.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a maternity garment of the character described including an apron to cover the abdomen so that as portions of cloth are cut away to provide an opening, the opening is covered by the apron.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a garment of the character described provided with an inner lining of soft material to underlie the region of the abdomen and hence provide an undercover for the opening formed by cutting away portions of the garment in the region of the abdomen.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a comfortable and durable garment of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which may be used throughout the pregnancy period, and which will be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a garment embodying the invention on a figure with the apron removed Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the garment embodying a modification, on a figure illustrating the garment after several months pregnancy;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the garment provided with a front apron; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a garment embodying the invention on a figure with a more advanced pregnancy.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I0 designates a garment embodying the invention shown on the figure I I. The garment is here shown for the purpose of illustration in the form of a dress, although it may be in the form of a skirt. The upper part I2 of the garment may be of any suitable construction.

The garment is provided with a skirt portion I3. The waistline may be gathered to permit expansion. .In the region of the abdomen, the garment is formed with a plurality of concentric lines I I, I5, I6 and ll of hemstitching or stitching or sewing of any type. There thus results a center circular piece of cloth I8 and a series of concentric annular pieces of cloth I9, 20 and 2|. Although the drawing shows the hemstitching as being circular in shape, it may also be of rectangular, diamond, square, hexagonal or of any other suitable shape. There may also be substituted for the stitching, lines of binding tape or slider actuated fasteners, or other easily severed, removable or detachable structure.

The purpose of the invention is to permit the piece I8 to be removed as the pregnancy progresses, thereby forming an opening through which part of the wearers abdomen may protrude, thereby relieving the wearer and making the dress more comfortable to wear. Th line of stitching I4 may easily be severed by scissors or a razor blade or in any other suitable manner to remove portion I8.

In Fig. 2, the garment is shown with parts I8 and I9 removed, thereby forming an enlarged opening 30 through which part of the abdomen projects. It will now be seen that as the pregnancy continues, annular portions are progressively removed, to form a progressively enlarged opening. In Fig. 2, the pregnancy may be two or three months old and portions I8 and I9 are removed.

As shown in Fig. 4, the pregnancy is seven, eight or nine months old and all the portions I8, I9, 28 and 2| have been removed, producing a more enlarged portion 3I for the abdomen to protrude.

The garment is provided with an apron 33 to cover the abdomen part of the skirt. The apron thus covers the portions I8, I51, 20 and 2|. As said portions are removed, the apron covers the opening formed by cutting away portions ofthe skirt.

If desired, an added piece of lining 40 (Fig. 2) may be attached to the inside of the skirt to'underlie the opening formed by cutting away portions of the skirt. The inner liner 40 would be made of very soft cloth so as to make the garment comfortable to wear.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several object of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as'illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A maternity garment comprising a skirt portion, said skirt portion being provided at the region of the abdomen with a plurality of concentric removable portions, the innermost of which may be removed first, to provide an opening and whereby successive portions may be progressively removed to enlarge the opening for protrusion of the abdomen of the wearer as the period of pregnancy progresses.

2. A maternity garment comprising a skirt portion, said skirt portion being provided at the region of the abdomen with a plurality of concentric portions, each portion being stitched to adjacent portions by an annular line of stitching, and the outermost concentric portion being stitched to said skirt portion by annular lines of stitching.

3. A maternity garment comprising a skirt portion, said skirt portion being provided at the region of the abdomen with a central portion, and a plurality of concentric annular portions of progressively increasing size about said central portion, severable means to attach said central portion to the first annular portion, and severable means to attach each annular portion to the annular portion adjacent thereto, and severable means to attach the outermost annular portion I to the skirt portion, said central portion being adapted to be detached by severing the means which attaches said central portion to the first annular portion, and the annular portions being adapted to be progressively detached by severing their attaching means, whereby to provide an opening of gradually increasing size through which the abdomen of the wearer may protrude as the period of pregnancy advances.

4. A maternity garment comprising a skirt portion, said skirt portion being provided at the region of the abdomen with a central portion,

and a plurality of concentric annular portions of progressively increasing size about said central portion, detachable means to attach said central portion to the first annular portion, and detachable means to attach each annular portion to the annular portion adjacent thereto, and the outermost annular portion being detachably attached to the skirt portion, said central portion being adapted to be detached, and the annular portions being adapted to be progressively detached, whereby to provide an opening of gradually increasing size through which the abdomen of the wearer may protrude as the period of pregnancy advances, and an apron overlying the detachable portions of the skirt portion to conceal the opening formed by the removal of said detachable portions. 7

5. A maternity garment comprising a skirt portion, said skirt portion being provided at the region of the abdomen with a central portion, and a plurality of concentric annular portions of progressively increasing size about said central portion, detachable means to attach said central portion to the first annular portion, and detachable means to attach each annular portion to the annular portion adjacent thereto, and the outermost annular portion being detachably attached to the skirt portion, said central portion being adapted to be detached, and the annular portions being adapted to be progressively detached. whereby to provide an opening of gradually increasing size through which the abdomen of the wearer may protrude as the period of pregnancy advances, and a lining member underlying the detachable portions of the skirt portion to line the opening formed by the removal of said de- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,350,848 Starkweather Aug. 24, 1920 1,765,937 Patten June 24, 1930 2,081,915 Edmiston June 1, 1937 2,156,495 Hall May 2, 1939 2,157,932 Glover May 9, 1939 

